12 Then Esau said, “Let us be on our way; I’ll accompany you’”

13 But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender and that I must care for the ewes and cows that are nursing their young’ If they are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die’ 14 So let my lord go on ahead of his servant, while I move along slowly at the pace of the flocks and herds before me and the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir’”

15 Esau said, “Then let me leave some of my men with you’”

“But why do that?” Jacob asked’ “Just let me find favor in the eyes of my lord’”

16 So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir’ 17 Jacob, however, went to Sukkoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock’ That is why the place is called Sukkoth’

18 After Jacob came from Paddan Aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in Canaan and camped within sight of the city’ 19 For a hundred pieces of silver, he bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, the plot of ground where he pitched his tent’ 20 There he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel’ Genesis 33:12-19

If we didn’t know any better, we’d think that Jacob was up to something. He didn’t want Esau to accompany him. I suspect they met up just to patch things up. They were cordial but didn’t insist on staying together. There was bad blood between them but they kissed and made up, so to speak.

We have these people in our lives too. We’re cordial but don’t associate with them for various reasons. We have to be around them, but we don’t have to interact that much with them.

But the important thing is, we’re at peace with them. We may not trust them but we’re at peace. Any bad blood between us is past us now. I think that’s important. We don’t have to be friends with everyone we know, and even our family members.

Sure, they’re family but stuff happens to poison the relationship. But being at peace with that person is very important for your own well-being.